MiVT: Ondine Perfume

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) - You can find Ondine Salon tucked into a small space on Montpelier’s State Street.

Owner Maya Boffa prides herself on all-natural haircuts and using all-natural products, some of which she makes herself.

“My middle name is Ondine, which used to be a perfume in Paris. Now, we have acquired it,” she explained of the name.

Boffa has made body products by hand for a number of years, giving them the name “Ondine.”

“Then we found out that Paul had a nose,” she laughed.

“That means I found out quite by happenstance that I can smell things well and identify what I’m confronting,” explained her husband, Paul Boffa.

Paul says over the years, he’s developed quite a catalog of scents and wanted to use it to their advantage, especially when the trademark for the now-shuttered Ondine French perfume became available.

“Along the way, we just finally confronted, ‘Well maybe we should add this perfume idea to the Ondine line,’” explained Paul.

After many research and development trials with help from next-door neighbor AroMed Essentials, the two have developed organic perfume to bring to market.

“It’s taken Paul and [I] about four years to learn the world of making perfume, of organic perfume. We’ve decided we need to go completely organic and wild-crafted,” Maya said.

The Boffas value organics and natural products in their day to day, so it makes sense that it would translate into their perfumes.

Because there are no chemicals in their perfumes, it helped their R&D process move along.

“You know, there’s no mystery about how it’s made or what it’s made from,” explained Paul, who did much of the testing himself.

“It’s been kind of delightful for us and for the people who use it to sort of reintroduce themselves to perfume that’s wonderful, that makes you feel good,” said Maya.

Paul and Maya say Ondine Perfume works to challenge the idea of the commercial perfume. Often, people are put off by the idea of a fragrance after having to deal with scents that leave spaces like restaurants or elevators completely overrun with their smell.

“Ondine Perfumes don’t act that way. When I use the word ‘intimate,’ I mean that they happen in a close range to the wearer,” Paul said.

The five unisex scents are made to help you feel good, and in some wearers, help evoke memories.

The smallest bottle will cost you $65 and the largest has a $200 price tag.

While the price point is comparable to other high-end brands, this perfume is made to fade out after a few hours. Instead, it leaves something else in its place.

“A little bit of joy,” Maya said.

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